Page constructed by Benson Kaminski
Origin
This Cambodian Buddhist temple had its origins in 1982, when a group of Cambodian refugees gathered together to begin the construction of a Buddhist monastery in Minnesota. After contacting the main Buddhist temple of the United States in Washington, D.C., the group was sent a monk to serve as the first abbot of the Watt, the Venerable Chey Siddhi San. Beginning in a rented house in Minneapolis, the Watt relocated three times, eventually growing in size to the point where it was necessary to have a bigger space than conventional houses would allow. In 1988, the Watt purchased a 40-acre piece of land between Hampton and Farmington. Although the property already contained some small structures, they were not of sufficient size, and the first dedicated worship space was built. A few years later, in 2002, construction was started on the current main building, a 10,000 square foot temple that was completed and consecrated with a Sima boundary in 2007. The temple complex has continued to expand since then, with the establishments of several new structures and development of the land, but space is still limited.
Tradition
The Watt Munisotaram associates with Theravada Buddhism, and even has informational pages on its well-organized website on both Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia and Buddhism in America. The page on Theravada Buddhism in Cambodia mentions several practices of Theravada Buddhists, noting both similarities and differences between their Cambodian and American forms. It notes the ordination process specifically as a difference between Cambodian and American practice, since Cambodians have typically lived as novice monks before beginning their careers and everyday lives. The inverse of this can be seen in the American Watt Munisotaram, where ordination happens only occasionally, with the period of the ordination requiring much less time (a week or weekend was listed) than is typically traditional. A significant comparison is written about in mentioning the practice of meritorious donation to the Buddha. All construction, the website notes, is financed by private contribution with the frequent invocation of merit. On a different page, ‘Funding and Fundraising’, the website goes into further depth on how the Watt acquires their finances.
Financing
Almost all projects at the Watt have been funded by the Cambodian Buddhist community, including but not limited to the Cambodian Buddhist Society, the same formal nonprofit that established Watt Munisotaram. Currently, a hopeful million-dollar fundraiser is underway through the sale of 5,000 painted and engraved Buddhas, which will each be placed permanently within the stupa. Paying for one of the Buddhas allows the purchaser to designate the name of one they wish to honor, usually a relative who may have passed, which will then be engraved upon the base of the Buddha statue.
People
There are currently three resident monks at the Watt Munisotaram, Ven. Dhammajoto SENG BUN SANG, Ven. Iddhimuni MOENG SANG, and Ven. CHUM VICHET. There are also four board officer positions: Chairman & President: Ven. Iddhimuni MOENG SANG (as mentioned above), 1st Vice-President: Mr. CHHITH H. YANAT, Secretary General: Mr. MEY SOPHAL, and Treasurers: Mr. CHAN SAMNANG, Mr. CHHEM SAING EAN & Mrs. NEOU KIM THIDA. Unfortunately I was unable to find any figures for the number of members of the Watt, but considering their growth since 1982 and the fact that they can keep resident monks without jobs, they must be somewhat sizeable. However, some details about the practitioners are available. Most who frequent the temple are first or second generation Cambodians or other South and Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhists.
Practices and Events
Services mostly take place on the weekends, wherein practitioners pray, meditate, hear sermons from monks, and/or participate in Khmer singing, dancing, and chant groups. Practitioners also visit, the website notes, to mark life events such as marriages, births, and deaths. The monks also provide blessings and specific spiritual advice at any point during the week, although it is mentioned that the temple is normally very quiet during the week with most practitioners busy with their day jobs. The Watt hosts a number of events annually including:
Meakha Puja – Mid-February, the Buddha’s day of teaching “Ovadapatimokha” – the goal, principles and procedures of Buddhism
Cambodian New Years – First Full Moon in April, in Cambodia this coincides with the end of the rice-harvesting season
Visakha Puja – Late May, celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha
Kan Binda and Pchum Binda (Ancestor’s Day) – Late September or Early October, a festival in which Cambodian Buddhists pay respects to deceased relatives, lasts for 15 days
Kathina Ceremony – October, ceremony of offering new robes and necessities to the monks
Reading of King Vessanthara’s Story – November, the Watt Munisotaram community reads all 13 chapters of the story
Resource
https://religionsmn.carleton.edu/exhibits/show/wattmunisotaram/introduction